Floating marker

Abstract

A marker bouy to positively mark positions on a water surface with respect to the bottom. The marker includes a generally hollow body with line wound around the approximate center thereof with a weight on the end of the line which will cause the marker to rotate when the marker is placed or thrown onto the water surface to cause the line to unwind from the marker. A line stop flange is provided on the marker to stop unwinding of the line when the weight strikes the bottom. This flange comes into effect when water partially fills the marker which will cause the marker to shift from a position of lying on the water surface to being erect within the water. When the marker is in the upright or erect position, the line is engaged by the line stop flange. When the marker is in this erect or upright position, one end will be above the surface of the water and therefore easily visible.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A marker bouy for marking underwater locations, said bouy including: a. a hollow, generally cylindrical body member;   b. a length of line having one end thereof attached to said body member and being normally wrapped about said body member;   c. a weight attached to the other end of said line, said weight causing said body member to rotate upon the surface of the water when dropping downwardly from the surface;   d. a water admitting aperture on one end of said body member to admit water interiorally thereof to increase the weight of such end to shift said body from a first position of lying on the water surface to a second position of being vertical in the water;   e. a radially extending flange arranged on the end of said body having said aperture;   f. a line trapping member defined within said flange; and,   g. at least one vane member extending radially outwardly from said body and arranged longitudinally thereof adjacent said flange to normally slow the rotation of the marker.   
     
     
       2. The structure set forth in claim 1 and said line trapping member including a slot, said slot being directed towards the direction in which the body member will rotate when in a vertical direction. 
     
     
       3. The structure set forth in claim 2 and a plurality of said slots being formed within said flange. 
     
     
       4. The structure set forth in claim 3 and a line pickup member being closely associated with each of said slots to guide the line therein. 
     
     
       5. The structure set forth in claim 1 and a plurality of said vane members extending radially outwardly from said body to said flange and extending longitudinally of said body. 
     
     
       6. The structure set forth in claim 5 and said vane members being angularly offset to the longitudinal axis of said body to permit rotation of the body in one direction and normally preventing rotation of said body in the opposite direction.